Setting the purpose for reading fiction Often teachers feel that if they let students choose their own books they will be eager to read. We think this because reading is pleasurable to us, but it’s not for a struggling reader. They need another purpose. Teachers need to teach reluctant readers to set the purpose themselves with strategies o Previewing o KWL Want to be less structured? Try… o Sticky notes o Questioning o Self monitoring (Always thinking while reading) · With self-selected texts the student should take on this role. However… With teacher selected texts… Remember that No purpose= no comprehension We cannot expect students to read and understand everything contained in any text. We must guide them to the parts that we want them to understand. Ask yourself, ‘what is it that I want my students to get out of reading this?’ Pleasure? Vocabulary? Theme? Plot? Character analysis? Writer’s technique? o Focus in on an element of the story you want them to notice/discuss later like the theme, characters, or setting. o You may need to have multiple readings for multiple purposes. § For example, poetry should be read multiple times. · The first time to enjoy the sounds of it and get a feel for what it’s about. · The second time to read carefully to understand the meaning. · The third time to look for figurative language and appreciate the form. · The fourth time to understand the mood and tone of the poem. No one can do ALL of these on one reading, yet you probably want your students to be aware of all aspects. § See this fiction example below. Your purpose for reading is you are a real estate agent trying to sell this house. The House The two boys ran until they came to the driveway. “See, I told you today was good for skipping school,” said Mark. “Mom is never home on Thursday,” he added. Tall hedges hid the house from the road so the pair strolled across the finely landscaped yard. “I never knew your place was so big,” said Pete. “Yeah, but it’s nicer now than it used to be since Dad had the new stone siding put on and added the fireplace.” There were front and back doors and a side door which led to the garage which was empty except for three parked 10-speed bikes. They went in the side door, Mark explaining that it was always open in case his younger sisters got home earlier than their mother. Pete wanted to see the house so Mark started with the living room. It, like the rest of the downstairs, was newly painted. Mark turned on the stereo, the noise of which worried Pete. “Don’t worry, the nearest house is a quarter mile away,” Mark shouted. Pete felt more comfortable observing that no houses could be seen in any direction beyond the huge yard. The dining room, with all the china, silver, and cut glass, was no place to play so the boys moved into the kitchen where they made sandwiches. Mark said they wouldn’t go to the basement because it had been damp and musty ever since the new plumbing had been installed. “This is where my Dad keeps his famous paintings and his coin collection,” Mark said as they peered into the den. Mark bragged that he could get spending money whenever he needed it since he’d discovered that his Dad kept a lot in the desk drawer. There were three upstairs bedrooms, Mark showed Pete his mother’s closet which was filled with furs and the locked box which held her jewels. His sisters’ room was uninteresting except for the color TV which Mark carried to his room. Mark bragged that the bathroom in the hall was his since one had been added to his sister’s room for their u se. The big highlight in his room, though, was a leak in the ceiling where the old roof had finally rotted. Now how would your focus be different if I asked you to read it as if you were a burglar looking at this house as a target? Strategies for whole class readings Surefire, Active, Get your reluctant readers going o Tea party (Beers 95) § Write down interesting quotes from your selected reading § Give each student a quote § Have students read their quote and make a prediction § Next share with a partner and make a prediction § Finally mingle with the class and make a prediction o Think like a character § Hamlet · 1. Write down your Father’s name. · 2 Write down your mother’s name. · 3 Write down your uncle (or dad’s good friend) name. · 4. Cross off your dad, he just died. · 5. Draw an arrow or little hearts to show that now your uncle has just married your mom · Write a sentence or two about how you would feel. This is what happened to Hamlet. § The Odyssey · 1. Imagine you’re a soldier on your way home from war, write down one thing you’re excited to see when you get home. · 2. Write down one thing you’re excited to do (keep it G rated!) · 3. Write down something that could happen on your trip home that could stop you from traveling or slow you down. This is what happened to Odysseus on his way home from the Trojan war. Anticipation/Reaction guide: Great for starting discussion or as a lead off for a writing activity. The RavenAnticipation Guide Name Directions: Take turns with your partner reading each statement. Decide if the statement is true or false and mark your answer in the “Before” box. After reading the article on Poe and reading/viewing The Raven read through the statements again and see if your opinion has changed from before. Be prepared to discuss!
Before
Statements
After
1. Edgar Allen Poe only wrote horror stories.
2. Poe’s writing is popular with children.
3. If a writer is published they will be rich.
4. Writing a poem is much like solving a math problem.
5. The word beguiling means charming.
6. Most people would love the ability to talk to animals.
7. When a husband writes a poem for his wife it’s very romantic.
Setting the purpose for reading fictionOften teachers feel that if they let students choose their own books they will be eager to read. We think this because reading is pleasurable to us, but it’s not for a struggling reader. They need another purpose.
Teachers need to teach reluctant readers to set the purpose themselves with strategies
o Previewing
o KWL Want to be less structured? Try…
o Sticky notes
o Questioning
o Self monitoring (Always thinking while reading)
· With self-selected texts the student should take on this role.
However…
With teacher selected texts…
Remember that No purpose= no comprehension
We cannot expect students to read and understand everything contained in any text. We must guide them to the parts that we want them to understand.
Ask yourself, ‘what is it that I want my students to get out of reading this?’ Pleasure? Vocabulary? Theme? Plot? Character analysis? Writer’s technique?
o Focus in on an element of the story you want them to notice/discuss later like the theme, characters, or setting.
o You may need to have multiple readings for multiple purposes.
§ For example, poetry should be read multiple times.
· The first time to enjoy the sounds of it and get a feel for what it’s about.
· The second time to read carefully to understand the meaning.
· The third time to look for figurative language and appreciate the form.
· The fourth time to understand the mood and tone of the poem.
No one can do ALL of these on one reading, yet you probably want your students to be aware of all aspects.
§ See this fiction example below. Your purpose for reading is you are a real estate agent trying to sell this house.
The House
The two boys ran until they came to the driveway. “See, I told you today was good for skipping school,” said Mark. “Mom is never home on Thursday,” he added. Tall hedges hid the house from the road so the pair strolled across the finely landscaped yard. “I never knew your place was so big,” said Pete. “Yeah, but it’s nicer now than it used to be since Dad had the new stone siding put on and added the fireplace.”
There were front and back doors and a side door which led to the garage which was empty except for three parked 10-speed bikes. They went in the side door, Mark explaining that it was always open in case his younger sisters got home earlier than their mother.
Pete wanted to see the house so Mark started with the living room. It, like the rest of the downstairs, was newly painted. Mark turned on the stereo, the noise of which worried Pete. “Don’t worry, the nearest house is a quarter mile away,” Mark shouted. Pete felt more comfortable observing that no houses could be seen in any direction beyond the huge yard.
The dining room, with all the china, silver, and cut glass, was no place to play so the boys moved into the kitchen where they made sandwiches. Mark said they wouldn’t go to the basement because it had been damp and musty ever since the new plumbing had been installed.
“This is where my Dad keeps his famous paintings and his coin collection,” Mark said as they peered into the den. Mark bragged that he could get spending money whenever he needed it since he’d discovered that his Dad kept a lot in the desk drawer.
There were three upstairs bedrooms, Mark showed Pete his mother’s closet which was filled with furs and the locked box which held her jewels. His sisters’ room was uninteresting except for the color TV which Mark carried to his room. Mark bragged that the bathroom in the hall was his since one had been added to his sister’s room for their u se. The big highlight in his room, though, was a leak in the ceiling where the old roof had finally rotted.
Now how would your focus be different if I asked you to read it as if you were a burglar looking at this house as a target?
Strategies for whole class readings Surefire, Active, Get your reluctant readers going
o Tea party (Beers 95)
§ Write down interesting quotes from your selected reading
§ Give each student a quote
§ Have students read their quote and make a prediction
§ Next share with a partner and make a prediction
§ Finally mingle with the class and make a prediction
o Think like a character
§ Hamlet
· 1. Write down your Father’s name.
· 2 Write down your mother’s name.
· 3 Write down your uncle (or dad’s good friend) name.
· 4. Cross off your dad, he just died.
· 5. Draw an arrow or little hearts to show that now your uncle has just married your mom
· Write a sentence or two about how you would feel. This is what happened to Hamlet.
§ The Odyssey
· 1. Imagine you’re a soldier on your way home from war, write down one thing you’re excited to see when you get home.
· 2. Write down one thing you’re excited to do (keep it G rated!)
· 3. Write down something that could happen on your trip home that could stop you from traveling or slow you down. This is what happened to Odysseus on his way home from the Trojan war.
Anticipation/Reaction guide: Great for starting discussion or as a lead off for a writing activity.
The Raven Anticipation Guide Name
Directions: Take turns with your partner reading each statement. Decide if the statement is true or false and mark your answer in the “Before” box. After reading the article on Poe and reading/viewing The Raven read through the statements again and see if your opinion has changed from before. Be prepared to discuss!
Resources:
Classroom strategies for K-3 http://www.freereading.net/index.php?title=Introduce:_Purpose_for_Reading
For upper grades
http://www.indiana.edu/~l517/purpose.html
How set the purpose
http://ohiorc.org/adlit/strategy/strategy_each.aspx?id=1
Book trailers site
http://www.booktrailersforreaders.com/
Row, Betty, & Smith, Sandy. (2005). Teaching reading in today's middle schools. Boston: Houghton Mifflin